Housebanes are a Gremlin subspecies, the corrupted form of Caretakers. These creatures infest the homes of the Folk all across Cartyrion - mostly in the larger towns and cities, but even isolated farmhouses are not completely immune to being singled out for the destructive attention these creatures bring.

Housebanes retain the crafting knowledge their former Caretaker selves possessed. Instead of using these skills to benefit the household which they choose to infest, they employ their talents to turn household objects into hazardous traps. Legs of tables and chairs will be weakened so as to collapse when used. Cupboards, cabinets, and shelves will be similarly sabotaged.

In short, the presence of a single Housebane is enough to render any residence of the Folk a hazardous place to remain. On the rare occasion that two or three of the creatures team up to infest a single household, the threat to the Folk residents is significant.

Fortunately, Housebanes do not possess the ability to evade detection by simply phasing into an extra-dimensional safehouse as their former Caretaker selves did. Instead, they rely on their ability to reduce their size to that of a normal cockroach - no bigger than a half inch (1 cm) in size - to seek safety in inaccessible places within the house. They can shift between this miniscule size and their typical size - still no taller than 1ft (30cm) - at will. They also possess uncanny abilities to detect physical threats and can rapidly dodge attempts to swat them when in either form.

---

Gamemaster Notes

Housebanes can infest the homes of any of the Folk, though they are far more likely to be encountered in larger cities and towns, than in lone farmhouses. Most Housebane infestations should consist of a single creature, but 20% of the time, there will be two, and 5% of the time, there will be three.

The first sign of a Housebane being present is likely an accident involving the unexpected failure of a piece of furniture. A stool collapses under the homeowner as he sits down to eat a meal, or an entire table teeters and falls, dumping a full dinner onto the floor. Food stores will then mysteriously go bad overnight, possibly causing illness if not detected. Such events may stop for a day or two, causing the household to believe their troubles were coincidental and short-lived, but then they'll start up again - worse than before.

When trying to deal with Housebanes, detection is the first obstacle. In their miniscule form, the creatures can hide almost anywhere. But while in their normal form, their hard exoskeletons can help lead to detection. If care is taken to stand quietly, a seeker can often detect the slight clacking and skittering sounds given off as the Housebane moves about.

Like all Gremlins (and other Fey), Housebanes are aware that they are functionally immortal, but susceptible to death by accident or violence. Thus, while they are more than willing to enter into brief combat with a would-be exterminator, they will not fight to the death if they have an escape route. They would much rather run away and live to torment another household on another day.

5E-compatible Statblock
PF2E-compatible Statblock